Mannikin adjustment device



Jan. 11, 1949. J. FRISCO MANNIKIN ADJUSTMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 19, 1946 INVENTOR .JULlUS FRISCO BY J 'A'ITOR Y Patented Jan. 11, 1949 .3' -Glaims.

:Myrpresent invention;relates::gerrerally to an improved mannikin adjustment devicezandrmore specifically :to :a novel :and efficient :swtvel :coupling device between'theibustiand torso sections of la display form simulating".the human figure. .In prior vmannikins, s01 human display items, iti hastbeen customary *toiuse-ia commonaballxarid socket .joint' between the'sbust :andtorso: orwvaist sections, in order to eprovide ti-ltazbility. ZI-Iowever, these iprior swivel rjoints have :had alimitations so far as the display functiomismoncerned. For example, :in prior ball .socket .-:.swiv.e1 joints there has always existed 'afsubstantialr space sat the. mid section of the :form thereby :making Lit necessary to provide :a special concealment therefor. Again, 'prior :devices -:of2thisz'.type:ihave had vertical adjustment provided iby some :form of manually :sadjustable :contr'ivance.

,It is "an important objectoi Amy present ainvention to provide ta :mannikin adjusting :deviee which :is :adapted to iswivel at :certain levels 20f vertical adjustment of'the'rbust section, whereas at its lowest :level adjustment th-ere exists rno perceptible spacing between fi the'i bust :and -?torso sections.

.It is :amore specificobject of my-rinvention to provide :a swivel joint :i or :a- 'displa-yifform, wherein the bust section may:ib'easelectivelflyr=set in any one o'f'=a plurality of vertical positions without removing therhands from the t'bust -section; i. e., selective level adjustment :is isecured thy pre'determined motion of the abust section relative #to the torso section.

Yet :a further .obj ect. ofnny. invention is totprovide :a highly-improved :iba'll and :socket fjointfor the upper and :lower sections 70f ta :mann ikin, wherein the ball element istprovided with a'post or tube having a group 'of akeyways or slots at diiferent levels, the slots having :a common :vertical slot adapted .to act rasva :shiiting vpathuor groove for the pin of a --.collar;secure'd :to illhe bust section.

Isachieve the aforesaid;objectszinwthermann'er illustrated in the "accompanying adrawings .in which:

Fig. .1 is :a fragmentary side ielevational wi-erw of a mannikin, or display,devioeaembodymgzthe features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged -.fragmentary partial cross-sectional view taken substantially ;:along the line -2-.-Z.0f.Fig. Llooking in "the :zdirection of the-arrows Fig. 3 is aplanViewof.the.:swiveljointrcarrier plates vin adjusting position .as viewed :fnom fit-he bust section;

.bil

sections rl Hand 2.

, 2 :Fig. .4 is :a f bottom view of the bust warrior plate; 1

:liig.:5ais ta sectional'wiew "itaken along line r5-i'5 in. Fig. :lookingin :the direction-16f the arrows;

rFig-firisa plan viewio'f the waist section icarrier plate;

i.F i g."7 is a partial sectional view taken along line -;1--1 'iof Eig. 6,:.-lookinglathe-direction ofthe arrows; -.and

lEig. 18* is ?a, sectional "view taken "on line 8-'-8 of :Eig. P7,, lookingrin the direction of "the: arrows.

:Referring mow atothe-accompanying drawings, wherein like :referencewcharacters in the several figurestdenoteesimilar elements, in Fig. 5 '1 the :diS- play device-4s xeemarmllsin comprising the upper or bust section \I and-the separate lower torso or waisttsection $2., FIlhese sections conform to the generaltcontour ofthe :female "figure, and. "it will v be :observed .thatthe: contour (is. smo'oth'eand graceful. The line :3 denotes ?the dividing line between 'Et'he "base face- 0f "section --I :and'the t'top taceofi-sectionl-i. :It will at once be appreciated that no space existswattregion'it -.of Fig. =1, despite the rball and asocketjoint fconstruction employed int-this device. The dotteclypositionof bust-section I intEigalrshowshow-the floustsnay beraised to aa shig'her rlevell relative to region :andt-tilted at the higherrlevel. In accordance with :my .in-- vention the ebustrsection :may be adjusted in locked position to sat least two separate levels abovedine ormeg-ionetl, tilted-1e1-sWiq/elledat each of these levels, .and this =-may' be accomplished by merely grasping z-the -laust :SElCl'dlQl'l -l between the palmsvand shifting the t bust section in ca predeterminedpmanner.

.There will mow be described the constructional rldetailszof the adjustment device. .As :is welllzknown torthose skilled in thendisplay form art, the sections I and 2 are in the .iorm io'f hollow .bodies, the walls izbeing usually composed of -,-a lightweightamaterial :StlCh'zaS papier macho. I .provideirespectiveclosurerplates (Fig.2) it and 5,.-fiorthe=open adj acentaends of the hush and="waist Ehese 1 closure :plates, preferably made fOfWOOd though notjlimited to that material, rconform :to the "cross-Sectional rconfiguratiomo'fithe;display form atth'eatrunl'. thereof. f Ilhus asshown infFigsmtraridzG, the closure plates --4 and 5 are convex "at the frontal edges, While they tpossessicorrcavity at the dorsal edges toeconformnto the small 10f the b ack.

Each :of uthesclosurerplates 4 and 5 is provided with a respective :periplreral v"flange 4* and 5 whereby ?f(Fig.:-2:l. each plate l and 5 may *be snu ly ifitted :to {the rrespective open end of the bust and waist sections. It will be understood that in the position shown in Fig. 1, as well as Fig. 2, the adjacent faces of plates 4 and 5 are in sliding contact. The closure plates 4 and 5, however, perform additional functions. Plate 4 acts as a carrier plate for a slidable collar provided with a locking pin. Plate 5 functions as the carrier plate for a ball and socket joint, the ball being providedwith a level adjustment post which projects upwardly therefrom. In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the details of the plate 4 and its collar, while in Figs. 6 and '7 there are vided for easy shifting of the bayonet pins from shown the constructional details of the plate 5 and its ball and socket joint and level adjust-' ment post.

The plate 5 is provided with a simple and novel socket construction for the.ball or sphere element 6. The level adjustment post I is integral with the ball element 6. and projects from the north pole thereof. If desired, the lower end 8 of post I could be threaded and screwed into a threaded tap provided atsaid pole of sphere or ball 6. The post I is preferably tubular, the numeral I designating the hollow interior of the cylindrical post I. The plate 5 is provided with a central circular hole 9 whose diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of ball 6.

The ball 6 projects on either side of plate 5. The ball is maintained in the circular hole 9 by a pair of spaced metal discs l0 and II. The disc I ll is mounted in a shallow circular depression provided in the upper face of plate 5, while disc II is bolted to the lower face of plate 5 concentrically with disc I0. While I have shown the disc II of somewhat greater diameter than disc ID, they may be of equal diameter. The disc II is provided with a central concave portion I2 which snugly conforms to the south polar area of sphere 6. The aperture I2 may be provided in concave section I2 for lubrication.

The threaded bolts I3, four in number, fixedly secure discs II] and II in place so as to provide a normally tight socket for sphere or ball 6. The latter may be swivelled in any direction relative the upper face of plate 5 by virtue of the rolling contact of the enclosed surface of sphere 6. It will be noted that the central circular aperture Id of disc I0 is in sliding contact with sphere 6. Suitable pressure on post I, normally applied in any compass direction, will cause the sphere 6 to rotate in its socket. As shown in Fig. 2, the ball and socket joint is substantially embodied at the central portion of plate 5.

There will now be described the manner of constructing the plurality of vertical grooves and lateral slots in the external surface of the tubular post I. For this purpose particular reference is made to Figs. 2, '7 and 8. As shown in Fig. 7, the post I is provided with a pair of opposed verticalgrooves I5 and I9. These vertical grooves are diametrically opposed, as shown in Fig. 8, and each has a depth which is approximately half the thickness of the wall of tube .1. As shown in Fig. '7, groove I5 extends from the upper end of post 7 down to a short distance from the lower end 8. The groove I5 is common to a plurality of lateral grooves or slots I6, I1 and I8. These lateral grooves are each provided with a respective dependent vertical locking groove, as pictured in Fig. 2. From Fig. 2 it will be observed that lateral groove I6 is located at a predetermined distance from the upper end of post I. Further, the lateral groove I7 is spaced a substantially shorter distance below groove it than groove I8 is below lateral groove I'I.

Of course, the spacing .be-v

the common vertical grooves I5 and I9 into the respective lateral grooves.

This is accomplished by providing an inclined, or cam, surface for the walls It and ll of vertical common groove I5. This, of course, would be true for the common vertical groove I9. By referring to Fig. 8 it will be seen that from the groove I5 there extends an inclined cam surface I6 to the lateral wall of groove IE which ultimately feeds into the vertical locking groove 28. Correspondingly the vertical common groove I9 feeds into the inclined ca-m surface 2! to the lateral groove 22 which terminates in the vertical locking groove 23. The respective locking grooves 20 of the several lateral grooves I6, I! and I8 are in vertical alignment, as shown in Fig. 2, and the plurality of aligned locking grooves 23 are diametrically opposite to the plurality of locking grooves 28.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the plate 4 is provided with a central circular aperture 32 to receive the collar 30. The upper face of plate 4 is provided with circular opening 32 whose diameter equals the external diameter of the collar 30, and the lower face of plate 4 is provided with a circular opening 3I which is of substantially larger diameter than the opening 32. The collar 30 is provided with a plurality of lugs 33 which are afiixed in the circular opening 3|, in any suitable manner, to the hub of plate 4. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the collar 30 extends a substantial distance above the upper face of plate 4. The previously mentioned bayonet pins are designated by numerals 34 and 35, and are diametrically opposed. The pins project from the interior face of collar 30 at a point below the upper face of plate 4.

Preferably I choose the internal cross-sectional diameter of collar 30 to be substantially equal to the external cross-sectional diameter of post I. This provides a snug sliding fit for collar 30 with respect to the post I. In order to mount the collar 30 upon the post I it is merely necessary to fit pins 34 and 35 into the respective vertical grooves I5 and I9. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3 which depicts the plate 4 in its normal position relative to plate 5, and the respective pins 35 and 34 of collar 30 located in their respective vertical grooves I9 and I5 of post I.

It will be observed from Fig. 3 that in order to reciprocate collar 30 on post I, the pins 34 and 35 must be positioned in the respective vertical grooves I5 and I9. This is readily accomplished by rotating the bust I and its affixed closure plate 4 ninety degrees as shown in Fig. 3. If the pins 34 and 35 were initially positioned in the locking slots or grooves of the lowest lateral groove (I8 and its opposed mate groove), then the bust is grasped by both hands and lifted and then rotated degrees until it is felt that the pins are in the vertical grooves I5 and I9. This will mean that plates 4 and 5 are in the position of Fig. 3.

Assume that it is desired to raise the bust I in the intermediate level (lateral groove I1) where the bust can be swivelled relative to the section 2 on the ball and socket joint. This is simply accomplished by shifting the bust I, still held as indicated in Fig. 3, upwards so that pins 34 and 35 slide in respective grooves I5 and I9. The cam surfaces (II' and its opposed mate) will guide the respective pins towards the lateral groove I1 (and its opposed mate), and the bust is now rotated 90 degrees to its original position where plates 4 and 5 register. The pins 34 and 35 will now readily slip down into the opposed locking grooves 20 and 23.

In Fig. 2 I have indicated in dotted lines the intermediate position of the locking pin 34, and I have, also, shown the bust I tilted at that intermediate level. The ball and socket'joint permits rocking of the bust I and its plate 4 at the intermediate and upper levels. However, the lower setting of the bust permits no rocking of the bust I, since the plates 4 and 5 are in direct contact at that position as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

It is believed that those skilled in the display form art will readily understand how to shift the bust I into the top level (grooves I6 and 22). It will be noted that the inclined cam surfaces I6 and '2I will guide the pins into the locking grooves 20 and 23 (Fig. 8). The bust I is removed from post I by sliding collar 30 upwards, the pins 34 and 35 being in the vertical grooves, tothe upper end of post I. It is pointed out that the lower level adjustment of bust I (Fig. 2) is of value when it is desired to display garments of the bare midrifi type, since there is no space between the sections I and 2 in that lowest setting.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details herein described and illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the metallic elements, such as the ball 6, post I, discs I0 and II and the collar 30, may be made of brass or cast iron or aluminum or any other suitable metal.

What I claim is:

1. In a display form conforming to the general contours of the human figure and comprising a hollow upper section and a separate hollow lower section, closure plates for the adjacent open ends of the sections, a ball and socket joint carried by the closure plate of the lower section, a level adjusting post projecting toward the upper section from the ball of said joint, a collar affixed to the closure plate of the upper section in axial alignment with the post and slidable therealong, said post being provided with a plurality of spaced lateral grooves and a common vertical groove feeding into said lateral grooves, and said collar being provided with a locking pin adapted to slide along the common groove into a desired one of said lateral grooves.

2. In a display form of the type comprising a bust section and separate waist section, an upper closure plate for the waist section, a universal ball and socket joint located at the center of the said plate, a post projecting from the ball element of the joint, a lower closureplate for the bust section, a collar located at the center of said bust plate, a pair of diametrically opposed looking pins projecting from the collar towards the interior thereof, said post being provided with a pair of opposed vertical slots thereby to permit vertical reciprocation of the respective pins upon sliding the collar along the post, a plurality of spaced lateral grooves associated With each vertical slot and a locking groove terminating each lateral groove.

3. In a human figure display form of the type described, a device for adjusting the level of the upper or bustsection, said device comprising a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,191,691 Greenwald July 18, 1916 1,880,798' Cella Oct. 4, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,167 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1905 

